Keir Starmer to host meeting with Zelensky and European leaders at Downing Street

Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host Volodymyr Zelensky for a high-stakes meeting at Downing Street on Monday.

French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz will also be there.

The last-minute meeting comes as Europe, Ukraine and Russia struggle to agree a peace deal that would end the Ukraine war, which will soon enter its fourth year.

Ukrainian and US officials met in Miami on Friday and Saturday, to discuss US efforts to construct a peace deal, in talks described by both sides as “constructive”. 

Zelensky also said he had positive talks with US peace envoy Steve Witkoff over the phone today.

At Downing Street, the European leaders are expected to discuss the latest efforts to devise a new peace plan, and the possibility of assurances on Ukraine’s postwar security, The Guardian reported.

The four leaders reportedly took part in a virtual meeting of the “coalition of the willing” roughly two weeks ago.

They reportedly discussed plans to provide a European peacekeeping force that could be deployed to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

The meeting between the European leaders comes after they, along with Zelensky, expressed reservations about a 28-point plan initially proposed by the US.

Reportedly drawn up by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Vladimir Putin’s adviser Kirill Dmitriev, it made a series of demands seen as too strenuous by Ukraine, and posing a threat to its sovereignty. 

Demands included limiting the size of its army, Ukraine withdrawing from cities it controls in the eastern Donbas region, and a pledge Ukraine would not join Nato.

The plan was rejected by Kyiv and Europe, who together lobbied for changes.

Ukraine made significant amendments to the plan, which Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner then discussed with Putin for five hours last week.

Putin rejected the deal, with his foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov saying there was ‘still a lot of work to do’.

It is understood that Moscow is unwilling to accept a deal that does not give it the rest of Donetsk province, leaving talks at an impasse.

Putin later said: ‘Russia does not intend to fight Europe, but if Europe starts, we are ready right now.’

On Thursday, leaked transcripts of a call between Macron and Zelensky appeared to confirm the tense relationship between the US and Europe.

In extracts published by Germany’s Spiegel magazine, Mr Macron allegedly said: ‘There is a risk that the United States will betray Ukraine on the issue of territory without clarity on security guarantees.’

Merz is reported to have said that Trump and his negotiating team were ‘playing games’ with EU leaders and Zelensky.

Moscow has continued bombarding Ukraine with strikes and reaffirmed its commitment to conquering Ukrainian land.

Putin said: ‘All this boils down to one thing: Either we take back these territories by force, or eventually Ukrainian troops withdraw.’

On Friday night, Russia carried out a drone and missile attack on Ukraine’s power and transport infrastructure.

The Ukrainian military said Russia had launched 653 drones and 51 missiles overnight. 

Ukrainian forces downed 585 drones and 30 missiles, according to the country’s military.

Domestically, Zelensky’s government has been hit by a corruption scandal, which has seen some of his closest political allies resign. 

Last month, his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak resigned following an anti-corruption raid on his home.

In recent weeks, Ukraine’s anti-corruption bureau Nabu and specialised anti-corruption prosecutors office (Sap) have linked several high-profile figures to an alleged $100m (£75m) embezzlement scandal in the energy sector. 

Zelensky previously tried to limit the independence of Nabu and Sap but backtracked after widespread protests in opposition to the bill.

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